Metamorphoses

Today's cultural contribution is about the metamorphoses, written by the roman poet Ovid.
Actually it is a collection of 15 single books, which try to explain the history of the world out of Greek and Roman perspective.
The metamorphoses have been one of the most famous mythological books since its release and its impact on the authors of the Middle Ages has been huge.


Every book contains a metamorphoses either of a human or a demi-god.
The outcome of the transformation can be a plant, an animal or a constellation.

So for example Apollon makes jokes about the aim of Amor whereupon the god of love takes revenge.
He shoots Apollon with a love-arrow and Daphne with a dark arrow.
The effect of the dark arrow is, that Daphne runs away from Apollon chasing her.
Daphne, entirely exhausted from the run, turns to her father Peneios, who is the river-god.
He fulfills her wish of protection from Apollon by morphing her into a Laurel tree.

In another part the couple Philemon and Baucis get a visit from the gods.
In contrast to the other villagers, the two do treat the gods nice through offering them everything they have got.
As a result the gods fulfill them the wish of never getting seperated in their future.
Therefore, after their death, they morph Philemon into an oak and Baucis into a lime making sure they will be together forever.

If you want to experience more of these amazing transformations, I recommend you to give the metamorphoses a chance.
It is not only comfortable to read, as you can read one after the other, but it furthermore makes you familiar with the Greek/Latin myths, securing brain-growth. 

 

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